Hen nest door



March 12, 1935. 1.. 'I BROWN HEN NEST DOOR Filed March 14, 1934 F gwvmto o L. Brow/v Patented Mar. 12, 1935 1 UNITED STATES 1,994,208 r NEST noon LorenL. Brown, Cuba," Mo 1 Application: March 14, 1934, S erial Nb. 713519 i s ClaimS- (01. 119- 9); Y

'The invention relates to hen nest doors,and has for its object to provide adevice of this character comprising a pivoted door mounted in the door opening and adapted 'to swing to andsition where it inclines dovsmwardly and inwardly when in an open position so that fowl passing through the door opening to thenest will on gage the end of the door and tilt the same to a position where it will close by gravity.

A further object is to provide the upper end of the door with a flange overlying 'the inner upper side of the door opening and forming means for limiting the outward'movement oi the upper end of the door when the door moves to closed position.

A further object is to provide opposite sides of the door with apertures for the reception of headed pins forming the hinged mounting of the door.

A further object is to provide a poultry house door for nests arcuate shaped and having its ends provided with walls pivotally mounted within the door opening with the body of the door extending beyond the outer side of the door opening, the end walls being pivoted on pins in opposite sides of the door opening.

A further object is to provide the lower end of the arcuate door with a downwardly slidable member adapted to engage the inner side of the bottom of the door opening when the door is in closed position and prevent the door from being opened from the inside, thereby retaining the hen on the rest. Also to provide an opening in the bottom of the door having a closure andthrough which a hen may extend her head as she leaves her nest and starts the door opening operation.

A further object is to provide the lower end of the door with an opening through which the hen may place her head for operating the door when leaving the nest, and also a closure for said opening which not only closes the opening, but prevents pivotal movement of the door to open position.

, With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the door showing the same in closed position,

sides thereof, a gravity actuated door 5.

' PAIENT-*VOFFIICE .Figure 2 is .a vertical transverse sectional view throughthe door, showing the same in closed position. f V Figure 3 is a vertical transverse'sectional view through the door,. showing the same in open position.

Referringrtofthe drawing, the numeral 1 designates a front wall. of a'hen house and 2 a conventional form of nest therein. The wall 1 is-rprovided with a. door opening which'is rectangularly shaped, however any shape may be used; and in which door opening is pivotally mounted onheaded pins 4, carried by opposite 'The door ispref erably arcuate shaped as shown in the drawing. The arcuate door 5 is provided with end walls 6 through which the headed lugs 4 carried by the sides of the door opening extend, thereby forming hinging points for the door. In assembling. the device the upper end 8 of the door is placed through the door opening to a position where the headed lugs 4 may be driven through the end walls 6, then the lower end 9 of the door is swung downwardly in the direction of the arrow a, Figure 3, and when in closer closed position the flange 10 carried by the upper end of the door engages the inner side of the wall 1, adjacent the upper end of the door opening 3, thereby limiting the pivotal movement of the door to closed position. It will be noted that flange 10 is positioned whereby when the lower end 9 of the door is in closed position, as shown in Figure 2, the door can be positively held against opening by the fowl by sliding downwardly the auxiliary closure 11 to a position to the inside of the door opening as clearly shown in Figure 2, thereby positively preventing pivotal action. Closure 11 also forms a closure for the small exit 12, which may be utilized for allowing chicks to enter and leave withoutkeeping the door open. Exit 12 also forms an opening through which the hen places her head for opening the door when leaving the nest. Closure 11 is provided with a bolt 13, which extends through an elongated slot 14 in the door, and by means of which bolt the closure 11 can be held in open or closed position.

In operation the door is in the position shown in Figure 3, and a hen passing through the door opening 3. in-the direction of the arrow 22 will engage the end 8 of the door, which is held by the limiting lug 15, as shown in Figurev 3. As the hen continues in the direction of the arrow 12, the end 8 of the'door is forced upwardly, thereby causing the other end of the door to swing to close by gravity and particularly under the influence of additional weight supplied by the closure 11. When it is desired to prevent the hen from leaving the nest it will only be necessary for the operator to loosen the bolt 13 and slide the closure 11 downwardly until it assumes the position shown in Figure 2, so as to cooperate with the lower end of the door opening 3 and hold the loweriend; of the door so" that the hen can not pivot the door to open position. When the hen leaves the nest it will place its head through the opening 12 when the closure 11:

removed, being attracted by the light and will. force the door open. i

From the above it will be seen thati'a hemnest is provided with a closurewhich is operated by the hen, and said device is-simple construe tion, gravity operated and provided with. means whereby the door may be easily and quickly applied to .a hen house opening, and: provided'q-with means whereby it maybe positively limited inits pivotal action in both directions whend'esiinedi .Therdooris providedwithiaplnrality of ventilating apertures. 5a; rtriis; to be: understood however that any kind of ventilating means may beused'.

The invention having. been: set .torth what is claimed as. new and useful is: V

1. The combination with athenlhouse wallihaving a nest door opening; ofadoorshingedlymounted in said; opening; saidi'door having a flange at its upper side adapted to: engage the inner side of. the wall; adjacent the-door opening and: aslid able member carried by the other-rend; of the door and. adapted to. be extende'diinm the path ofthe inner lower side of the door opening when the:

door is in closed position.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 including an arcuately shaped door andan arcuately shaped extension member carried by the lower end'of the door. 7 V p 3. The combination with a hen house door openin of an'arcuately shaped door within said door opening, a lug hinge connection between the door: and door'openingat opposite sides thereof an'd a'rmember carried. by theupper' end-of the door and adapted to engage the inner side of the i hen house adjacent the door-for, limiting the pivotal closing movement of the door.

' 4.A'device as set forth in claim 3 including a, membencarried by the lower end of thedoor I and adapted to be extended beyond the lower end V of thedo'or into the path ofthe lower side of v the. door opening.

5. The combination with a hen house wall havinga. nest door opening therein,; a. door, .hingedly, mounted=.in:-;said door opening at. oppositesides thereof.andepivotally. movable on .a horizontal 1 axis; ofimeansacarried' said; door :whereby. when the door? is :pivotallymovedto; closed position said meansawillr cooperate withtheupper innersideof the door opening and of the door;

limit; the pivotal movement 6. A device: as set :fOrlJlI in claimfi including i means carriedEby-the lower end o the door and cooperating; with the IQWBI"BIIdROfthG-dOOFOIJGIiing and in; cooperation with the means; at -the ing; or closing of. the.- door; :11

upper endvof; the-door, opening;preventingv open; V

LOB-EN L; Beetle; P 

